Nathan Gonzales Analyzes 2020 Election, Previews Mid-Terms

WASHINGTON - Nathan Gonzales, editor and publisher of Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, shared his perspective on what’s going on in Washington as part of the NPMA Legislative Day General Session & Keynote Address, sponsored by Corteva AgriScience.

Gonzales reviewed the 2020 general election results in which Democrats captured the White House and picked up three seats in the Senate, while Republicans gained 12 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Gonzales said he’s not seeing the Republican party “go off into the political wilderness and start to search for their soul” as is usually the case after losing a Presidential election and control of the Senate.

Instead, Gonzales said Republicans “don’t feel the need to be conciliatory or compromise or give ground” because they feel emboldened by some of the Presidential election results and some aspects from the Congressional election, including the 12-seat House gain and the fact that it took a run-off election in Georgia for Democrats to win the Senate.

The other reason, Gonzales said, Republicans are optimistic about the current political climate is the 2022 mid-term elections. Historically, these elections don’t go well for the President’s party.

“So, because Republicans are so close to getting control of the Senate and the House, I think the feeling is that they just want to hold the line, and before too long, they’ll get in control and be able to have more power and more influence on what is going on,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales also provided some insights into redistricting. He cited research from Election Data Services that estimated which states will gain and lose districts. Those expected to gain include Texas (+3), Florida (+2), Arizona (+1), Colorado (+1), Montana (+1), North Carolina (+1), and Oregon (+1). States expected to lose seats include California (-1), Illinois (-1), Michigan (-1), Minnesota (-1), Ohio (-1), Pennsylvania (-1), Rhode Island (-1) and West Virginia (-1).